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"Let go of the side of the pool... now kick and stroke and stroke, Swim to me, you can make it, swim to me...

​With those reassuring words, fiver generations of Ipswich children learned to swim from Jim Gardiner. And he never charged a penny. He did it for the love of the sport and to save lives.

Jim started out as a young man teaching swimming in the Bremmer River behind the Ipswich Railway workshops and continued on well past the age of retirement in the Olympic War Memorial Pool that was built on this site.

The City of Ipswich named this swimming centre in Jim`s honour in 1980.

An accomplished swimmer and rugby league footballer, Jim made a remarkable contribution to the social fabric of this city through his dedication to teaching, coaching and administrating swimming.

He was a life member of Vikings Swimming Club, Ipswich and Queensland swimming association. Jim was made Citizen of the Year in 1974.

People still proudly say today : I was taught to swim by Jim Gardiner.